Willard f



(No Model.)

W. P. RICHARDS.

GAR COUPLING. I

No. 555,619. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

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' Z messes Invenion %ZJ/Z%% g I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,619, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed January 9, 1896. Serial No. 574,845 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to twin-j aw car-couplings having a horizontally-swinging coupling jaw or knuckle, a lock for retaining the knuckle in its closed position and a kicker or automatic knuckle-opening device, and more especially to a coupling of this type in which an ejecting-spring is employed which opens the knuckle through the medium of an interposed lever.

The object of my invention is to so construct and arrange the knuckle-opening device that the same is protected from the weather and against breakage in case of collision.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a car-coupling embodying my improvement, showing the knuckle locked. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the knuckle is thrown open. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section in line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar section in line 4: 4., Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the shifting-lever or kicker.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the draw-head, preferably constructed in accordance with the usual standard lines, and having the customary chamber for receiving the movable parts of the coupler.

B is the horizontally-swinging knuckle or coupling jaw, pivoted to the bifurcated arm a of the draw-head by the usual vertical pin 1), and b is the locking-arm of the knuckle.

C is the lock or pawl which holds the knuckle in its closed position and which may be of any ordinary or suitable construction, the lock shown in the drawings being arranged to swing horizontally and adapted to interlook at its free front end with the arm of the knuckle.

D is the shifting-lever or kicker, which is arranged in the draw-head in rear of the locking-arm and constructed in the form of a vertical bell-crank lever, having its horizontal the knuckle and is adapted to bear again st the rear side of said arm in the closed position of the knuckle, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper or actuating arm, (1 of the shifting-lever extends rearwardly or outwardly from the pivot of the lever and is comparatively short, so that a small movement of said arm produces a comparatively long stroke of the depending long arm d.

F is a spring bolt or rod arranged vertically in the draw-head on the rear or outer side of the shifting-lever D and guided in an upright pocket or housing G, formed on the adjacent wall of the drawhead. This rod passes through an opening formed in the closed upper end of the pocket G and is provided at its projecting upper end with a transverse or T head f, which straddles the bifurcated actuating-arm of the shiftinglever, as shown in the drawings.

H is a spring surrounding the rod F and interposed between the upper end of the pocket G and a screw nut or collar 2' applied to the lower portion of the rod. The lower end of the pocket G is open for the introduction of the spring and for permitting the necessary vertical play of the rod, and the opening in the upper end of the pocket is large enough to permit the passage of the T-head of the rod through the same in passing the rod upward through the pocket.

When the knuckle is in its open position the depending long arm d of the shifting-lever is caused to assume a forwardly-inclined position by the action of the spring-bolt F, and when the knuckle is swung into its closed position its locking-arm strikes the depending arm of the shifting-lever and swings the same toward the opposing wall of the drawhead. This causes the short arm d of the lever to swing upward, and as the spring-rod is connected with said arm it is drawn in the same direction, thereby compressing its spring, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon releasing the knuckle by withdrawing the lock the compressed spring reacts and draws the rod and the short arm of the shifting-lever downward,

thereby swinging the depending arm of the lever forwardly and causing it to throw the knuckle into its open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

As the pocket of the spring-rod is arranged vertically no Water, ice, snow or dirt can lodge in the same, and as the pocket is arranged within the draw-head and does not project on the under side thereof, it is not liable to be broken ed in case the draw-head is driven inward beyond its normal position by a collision.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the draw-head, a movable coupling-jaw and a lock, of a shifting-lever arranged vertically Within the drawhead and provided with a depending arm adapted to engage against the coupling-jaw for opening the same and above said shiftingarm with an actuating-arm, and a spring operating upon the upper arm of said shiftinglever and tending to swing the same on its pivot, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the draw-head, a movable coupling-jaw and a lock of a shifting'lever arranged vertically Within the drawhead and provided with a depending arm adapted to engage against the coupling-jaw and with an actuating-arm, and an upright spring arranged within the draw-head and operating on said actuating-arm, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the draw-head having an internal upright pocket, a swinging coupling-jaw and a lock, of a shifting-lever arranged vertically Within. the draw-head and provided with a depending arm adapted to engage against the coupling-jaw and above said arm with an actuating-arm, an upright rod connected With the actuating-arm of the shifting-lever and arranged in said pocket, and a spring surrounding said rod between the upper end of said pocket and a nut or collar on the rod, substantial] y as set forth.

Witness my hand this 28th day of December, 1895.

\VILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, KATHRYN ELMORE. 

